By Fergal Gleeson
17 Central Otago wineries were in Sydney this weekend sharing their wines at the Pure Pours Central Otago, NZ Wine Tasting. Here are 5 takeouts from the tasting-
- More Than Just Pinot Noir
Central Otago has long been synonymous with Pinot Noir, and while the region still leans heavily on its flagship grape (a whopping 70% of plantings), the recent trade tasting at The Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills revealed some excellent Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Riesling.
- Rippon’s wines were all exceptional. Their Mature Vine Riesling 2023 ($70) had a touch more sweetness than Clare Valley styles but remained dry and structured. Their Gewürztraminer 2023 ($70) was an extrovert tamed – aromatic, but beautifully restrained.
- Valli ‘The Real McCoy’ Pinot Gris Orange Wine 2023 ($57) was another standout: clean, balanced, complex and savoury. Refreshingly free of funk- a gateway orange wine for sceptics.
- Amisfield’s Fumé Blanc 2002 ($49) brought sophistication and subtlety, structured from oak fermentation. Nothing like the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc stereotype.
- Chard Farm’s Pinot Gris 2024 ($33) delivered ripe fruit up front but finished dry and crisp – a clever balancing act.
2. The Pinot Paradigm Has Shifted
Central Otago fruit bombs are almost extinct! The region may have built a reputation on full-bodied, heavily oaked Pinot Noir. Today’s Central Otago Pinot Noir are lighter, fresher and more savoury.
Nanny Goat winemaker Alan Peters- Oswald told me about howhe has pulled back on oak, seeking character through site expression. Alan’s 2 Single Vineyard Pinot’s from Queensberry 2023 ($65) and Bendigo 2024 ($69) Pinots as well as the regional blend Super Nanny 2023 ($95) were medium bodied and not the hedonists I was expecting.
Callum Withington, Assistant Winemaker at Valli was on the same page. I tasted 3 2023 Valli Pinots from the Bannockburn, Gibbston and Bendigo ($95)sub regions. He talked me through the varying use of whole bunch fermentation to add savoury depth, especially from warmer sites. The region’s winemakers are dialling back extraction and oak, letting fruit purity and terroir shine.
3. Sub-Regional Identity Is In
Central Otago isn’t a monolith – and producers are leaning into sub-regional storytelling. There is considerable diversity from the cool subregions of Wanaka and Alexandria to the warmer Bendigo and Bannockburn. While the entry level wines are often a blend of the subregions, single region and or single vineyard releases are more common for the top shelf wines. From cooler Gibbston to Bannockburn’s structured Pinots, the diversity is real and increasingly well-articulated.
4. Organic, Biodynamic, and Timeless
Nick Mills Winemaker at Rippon Winery is a fourth-generation landowner. Rippon is situated on the incredibly picturesque shores of Lake Wanaka. Nick remarks that they couldn’t make blockbuster sized Pinot on their site even if they tried. Given their focus on biodynamic, dry grown vines that’s not what they are after.
Rippon, now almost 25 years biodynamic, shows how time and patience pay off. Their Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2022 ($120) and Tinkers Field Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2022 ($220) wines are delicate, expressive and ethereal.
Quartz Reef is another biodynamic producer, founded by Austrian Rudi Bauer. They built their reputation on sparkling wine. Their 2019 Vintage Blanc de Blancs ($85) from Chardonnay was a sparkling triumph – traditional method, precise, and full of life.
5. Chardonnay Lovers, Take Note
Central Otago Chardonnay is carving out its own niche – leaner, more linear, and acid-framed rather than buttery. They have a nice balance of fruit power, texture and freshness. Nanny Goat’s Queensbury Chardonnay ($65) was a standout: stone fruits, subtle complexity, and a spine of acidity.
Final Sip
New Zealand’s most southernly wine region Central Otago’s is world renowned. It’s pioneering winemakers forged a reputation for vivid, powerful, fruit forward Pinot Noir. Operating in a semi-continental climate – with scorching hot summer days, cool nights, and snow laden winters this was the founding style.
The tasting was a lesson that Central Otago is not so easy to generalise about. And wine lovers should be grateful. There is so much to explore- I can’t wait to visit.
Photos courtesy of Central Otago Winegrowers Association
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